Condenser tube and tube-sheet connection



,i 1,616,893 Febo 89 H. FlNcH H coNDENsER TUBE AND TUBE SHEET coNNEcTIoNFiled May 22. 1926 I QM Y n Inventor l. A.- F/fc in which Patented Fein8,

' UNiT-Enfs'rArEs PATENT OFFICE.

nanna' n. on AnEnDEnN, wnsrmre'ron.

connnsm me AND Turn-snaar common..

Anneleen nea n'y 2z,

I My present' invention has to do the maintenance in a state ofeiiiciency of condensers used in connection'with steam.

turbinesand it has for its object the provision of a condenzer tubeVAand tube sheetconnection possessed "of the -prac-tical advantagesascribed to the same.

The invention in all of its details will vbe n Vfullyunderstood from'thefollowing description and claim when the same are read in connectionwith the drawings, laccompanying and formingpart'of this specification,

Figure 1 is afsectional illustrating the connection constituting thepreferred embodiment of my invention.;

Figure 2 -is a detailf view showing the ferrule andthe protective sleeveof my im. provement as properly arranged relative to each other, theferrule being shovm in dia vmetrical section and the protective sleevein elevation. Y

Figure 3 is a diametrical section ofthe protective sleeve' per se of theimprovement.

Similar numerals of reference designate` corresponding parts lall of theviews of the dra I show in Figure 15a condenser tube 1 of conventionaltype; and'l also show in said a0 Figure '1 a tube'sheet' 2, the latter4being chamber-ed at 3 and threaded at 4.

My improvement involves 'the employ ment of a protective sleeve 4,preferably of -the same material as the condenser tube 1, and theimprovement also involves the employment of a ferrule 5 'which ispreferably of standard type save that .its head 6 is preferably longerthan standard errule. The protective sleeve 1 is interiorly tapered,

40 as designatedby 7,'to a fine edge 8 atits.

inner end and the said sleeve 4 is of a size to snugly fit in thecondenser tube 1 and is fixed with respect to the head portion of theferrule 5. Preferably spot welding isv resorted to in the fixing of theprotective sleeve 4 with respect to the ferrule' 5, and the ferrulehead. and the protective sleeve ends are preferably2 though notnecessarily,

provided withcoincldent kerfs 8 to receive a removing tool. yAt 9 theerrule 5 is adapted to receive the end'portion of the condenser tube 1,and -in the chamber 3 of the tube sheet y2 conventional or any otherapproprlate packing 10 may be andjpreferably is employed.

It will be apparent rom the foregoing 192e serial no. 111,000.

that the protective sleeve 4 maybe Imanu- 1- factured separately andused with standard ferrules at present on the market in whicli event theYspot Welding of the sleevetothe ferrule will be advantageous not only because it constitutes a means 'of quick' connec; tion butalso becausethe spot welding is not liable-to be affected by .the heat.

Thepractical advantages of thev sleevev,4.

in -the relationdetned be appreciated when it isstated that the sleeveaverts cutv4ting. away of the endof the `tube V1- due to sand and 't inthev Water circulating through the tube. It also prerentserosion of thetube 4 which ordinarily occurson the tube ends adjacent to the tubesheet. More.

over, the sleeve 4 lends increased strength to -the end portion of thetube l and takes up Vvibration and to a considerable degree prevents thetransmission of vibration to. the

packing. This latter advantage will be ap-. preciated as important .whenit is stated that in practice condenser tubes such as the tube 1 aresmall in diameter and from sixteen to twenty feet in length, accordingto the size ofthe condenser. Constant vibration brings about fatigue ofthe metal withv I v the result that the tube fails. The expansionchamber or space 9 in the fer-rule aords ample means for expansion ofthe tube as the sleeve 4 covers said spaceor chamber 9 and prevents thedeposit therein ofscale or other foreign substance. Manifestly withinthe purview of my invention the sleeve 4 may be made of diji'erentlengths to taper of the sleeve 4 will be appreciated as an importantadvantage whenit is stated that said taper will prevent the formation 1partially occupied. by the sleeve 4. My improvement will be appreciatedas further advantageous whenit is stated that in the .inside the sleeveand through the' medium of a wrench appliedto the drift,- an operafmeetdifferent conditions, and the interior of a vacuum area in the. portionof the tube tive can turn the ferruleabout its axis and remove it romthetube-sheet 2. The operation alluded to .cannot be. carried out when theordinary connection is emplofyed inasmuch asin inserting a dnft -oangular cross-section, the' drift would be pressed against the walls ofthe condenser tube and would render the condenser tube unsuitable forfurther use. As is well known in the art, condenser tubes such as l arecostly7 5 Whereas the protective sleeve '4 ot' my iniprovenient isinexpensive.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my improvement is calculatedto eliminate the vacuum areaJ in the condenser tube adjacent to theerrule, thereby assuring better conductivity of the Wat-er through thetube l; that iny improvement is calculated to prolong the usefulness ofthe end of the condenser tube which in most eases is the only part ofthe tube that deteriorates; and that the errule 5 characterized asdescribed insures a clear expansion space or the tube l at all times andunder all conditions, the protective sleeve 4 precluding the occupationof the said space or chamber, which is designated by 9, by sand, grit orother foreign substanee present in the Water circulating through thecondenser.

I have eXplicit-iy described the preferred 25 embodiment o my inventionin order to iin- V part a ull, clear and exact'understanding of thelsaid embodiment. I do not desire,.

hou-ever, lo be understood as limiting myself to the' precise structuredisclosed, my invent-ion being defined by myappended claim Within thescope 'of which inodilicationniay be made `Without departure troni myinvention. Having described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is:- f Y Aln combination, a tube sheetchambered and provided with a thread, a urrule charnbcred and having a'thread engaging that ot' the tube sheet, a protective sleeve iixed tothe fel-rule and forming the inner Wall ot' the said chamber of theerrule, a condenser tube snugly. receiving the protective sleeve anddisposed in the tube sheet and in the chamber of the errule, and packingabout said tube and in the said chamber of' the tube sheet; the saidprotective sleeve being interiorly tapered kto a i'ine edge at the innerend thereof.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature. Y

HARRY H. Enron.

